Nose
It reveals amazing aromatic purity in which blueberry and cherry aromas mingle with subtle nuances of violets and liquorice.
Palate
This unctuous and fleshy wine possesses a sleek mouth-feel with a silky, fine-grained tannic texture which integrates harmoniously with the oak. A lingering finish brings with it a new layer of ripe fruit and sweet saline notes.
Growing Conditions
After a mild and rainy winter during the months of January and February (49 days of rain with a cumulated rainfall of 288 mm or 11.4 inches, the 30-year average being 156mm or 6.1 inches), spring was quite cool with a normal amount of rainfall. The vines budded early, around 20 March. Vine shooting was long and drawn-out from the end of April to the end of May.
June was hot and sunny, which brought about a sudden rush in vine vegetation growth that promised an early, high quality vintage. July and August were abnormally rainy and lacked high temperatures, which cancelled out the advance in the vine cycle gained in June. The threat of fungal disease in the vines was very high. The ripening process slowed down.
Fortunately, the end of September and autumn were mild and dry (even hot for October), enabling excellent ripeness to be reached and the grapes to be harvested in excellent conditions.
• Surface area: 20 hectares (49 acres)
• Grape varieties: 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc
• Soils: Clay-limestone
• Bud-break: 24 March 2014
• Mid-flowering point: 28 May 2014
• Veraison: end of August
Harvest
Yield in 2014: 28 hl per hectare
Aging
15 months with 60% of the Grand Vin in new barrels.
Appearance
This 2014 Clos Fourtet displays a deep, purple-ruby colour.